In this brief guide, we will discuss Wellbutrin rage episodes, wellbutrin psychosis and anger and some wellbutrin side effects.
Wellbutrin Rage Episodes
Wellbutrin rage episodes have been reported in many people who take this medicine, and this seems to be a common side effect that many people report, however, it also seems that most people experience an abatement of this symptom relatively quickly as well.
Wellbutrin rage episodes might be due to the fact that this medicine causes the neurotransmitter norepinephrine to become more readily available in the brain, which may increase the risk of heightened irritability and increased sensitivity to irritating stimuli.
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with the body’s response to stress, which means that it works on the fight or flight response of the body, and as you may know, the fight or flight response is often translated into rage or anger in the real sense.
Another common side effect of wellbutrin apart from rage episodes is agitation, as well as insomnia, and if you don’t notice this side effect improving in the first few weeks of treatment, talk to your healthcare provider because there may be a possibility that your bupropion dosage needs to be adjusted or they may recommend other changes to manage this side effect.
Most people taking wellbutrin are asked to to exercise regularly, and this is not just because antidepressants can cause weight gain or because they increase appetite, creating the need for the individual to get moving, they are also asked to exercise because there may be a possibility that the person may need to burn off some excess energy that may otherwise come out in the form of Wellbutrin rage episodes.
Other techniques that may help with Wellbutrin rage episodes may include deep-breathing exercises and yoga but if you continue to feel agitated while using bupropion, you may also want to talk to your healthcare provider about using medication to help you relax or switching to a different antidepressant.
If you are currently working but suffering from Wellbutrin rage episodes then you may be able to claim benefits if you leave work due to depression.
Signs Wellbutrin is working
Some of the most common signs Wellbutrin is working, or any antidepressant you take is working, is when you start noticing a difference in some of the somatic symptoms like appetite or sleep.
Signs wellbutrin is working may be many, though most experts suggest that a decrease in some of your somatic symptoms are usually the first to change, and even though you may still feel depressed and the motivation levels may be very low your sleep and appetite may not be as poor, and your sleep will start being more restful.
Other somatic symptoms of depression that may change as a result of wellbutrin fairly quickly may include fatigue, random aches and pains and a general feeling of malaise, and you may also start to experience your sexual appetite coming back.
Wellbutrin may work on the somatic symptoms of depression within the first 2 weeks or so of starting it, and sometimes it may take up to 3 weeks as well.
For the psychological symptoms of depression it may take about 4-6 weeks of Wellbutrin to start working, and these may include symptoms like low mood and low motivation.
Even when Wellbutrin starts working on the psychological symptoms of depression, the individual might not feel happy overnight, and it may start out with them feeling like they are not feeling as bogged down by sadness.
The person may also start to feel some motivation to do their own chores and take showers or take care of the personal errands that people usually ignore when they are depressed.
The individual taking wellbutrin may not recognize the signs right away either, and they may find that they are just doing things without realizing it, and functioning better than they have been for some time.
Wellbutrin Psychosis Symptoms
Wellbutrin causing psychosis is a fairly rare thing, although it can still happen, and it has certainly been known to happen, and some symptoms of this may include delusions or hallucinations.
Psychosis symptoms caused by Wellbutrin may mostly consist of Mood-congruent delusions, or thought disorders that are in line with how the person has been feeling, and they may often feel that their guilt or low self-esteem have turned into severe ideas of worthlessness or hopelessness.
Wellbutrin is not just used for depression, it has also been suggested as a good medication for the treatment of bipolar depression, because of its lower potency to induced switch but because it acts on norepinephrine, which is a neurotransmitter that in turn can act on dopamine, and has a dopamine enhancing effect, it has been shown to induce psychosis and perceptual changes.
Here is an excerpt from a case study of a woman who was prescribed Bupropion for Bipolar disorder and who had previously taken Lithium for the Manic episodes.
“After discussing the pros and cons of starting antidepressant with her family members, she was started on Bupropion sustained release 150 mg daily; after 7 days the dose was hiked to 300 mg daily.
Her biofunctions and depressive symptoms improved but she did not reach her premorbid self. In the week following bupropion dose hike, she started behaving abnormally in the form of aloofness, violent behavior, fearfulness, muttering to self, smiling to self, marked disturbed sleep, expressing persecutory and referential delusions, reporting hearing voices passing derogatory comments, and lacking insight.
She had marked dysfunction and stopped doing her household work. During this period on 4 different assessments in the outpatient department she did not manifest any sign and symptom suggestive of organicity; her sensorium was clear and she was orientated to time, place and person.
Her husband denied any diurnal variation in her symptoms. Her hemogram, liver and renal function tests, and serum electrolytes were within the normal limits. While Lithium and Bupropion were continued at the same doses, Quetiapine 50-150 mg daily was added.
Over the next 3 weeks as her symptoms continued to worsen, hence a diagnosis of bupropion-induced psychosis was made. Bupropion was stopped and Quetiapine was increased to 300 mg daily. While on Quetiapine her psychosis resolved, following which tapering off of Quetiapine was started.”
You can read the full case report, as well as a discussion of this case here.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Wellbutrin Side Effects
Like all other medicines, Wellbutrin can cause side effects as well, and here is a comprehensive list of common and rare Wellbutrin Side effects:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Weight loss
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Trouble sleeping
- Fast heartbeat
- Sore throat.
- Constipation
- Agitation
- Dry mouth
- Insomnia
- Headache or migraine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Tremor
- Dizziness
- Excessive sweating
- Blurred vision
- Tachycardia
- Confusion
Some rare side effects of Wellbutrin are as follow:
- Skin rash
- Ringing in the ears
- Shakiness
- Thought disturbances
- Stomach pain
- Muscle pain
- Sweating
- Angle closure glaucoma
- Anxiety
Wellbutrin Rage Episodes: Reddit
Wellbutrin rage episodes are commonly discussed on reddit and other forums where people usually come together to talk about what side effects they are experiencing.
Here are some reddit experiences about Wellbutrin Rage Episodes.
“I also have anxiety/OCD, and have had depression for a few months.
Using wellbutrin for 4 days now, 150mg xl.
The effects so far
Energetic
(hyper) focused
Personality seems dulled/robotic
Very agitated and anxious, I get stuck in angry or anxious loops which I just can’t shake off, how much I try to calm myself down I was put on wellbutrin because of my ADD and fatigue/depression.”
“As with many medications that affect chemicals in the brain, it will depend entirely on how your body reacts to it.
I tried Zoloft/Sertraline and it greatly intensified my depression. Took it for over two years before dumping that.
I tried Trazodone and it gave me mania in three days. Flushed it and forgot it.
I tried Wellbutrin which made me smile more often, but I became easily angered/irritated and it didn’t go away after four week.
We quit SSRIs and I’m using Lamictal/Lamotrigine instead. With Adderall, my mood has improved significantly; rarely experience depression now.
Anger/mania might go away once you reach the end of the adjustment period (4-6 weeks), but it may stay. Give it another week if you can to see if it starts to calm down. You need to give it time for your body to adjust to it before starting to add another med.”
Additionally, if you are looking for reassurance about whether Wellbutrin anger goes away or not, here is an update from the user who complained about the agitation in the first review:
“Update: I experienced agitation again this morning. So I still had some intuniv laying around and dropped 0.5mg
Incredible, almost all agitation/anger is gone. I feel really relaxed, even a bit sleepy. Only downside I am experiencing right now is hyperfocus/emotional numbing. I feel really serious, task oriented. Like a robot”
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we discussed Wellbutrin rage episodes, wellbutrin psychosis and anger and some wellbutrin side effects.
Wellbutrin is a commonly prescribed antidepressant but like many medicines it has its own side effects which can sometimes take the form of severe anger and irritability.
If you are experiencing Wellbutrin rage episodes or if your depression doesn’t seem to be getting better on Wellbutrin, you need to talk to your doctor and get your medication changed.
If you have any questions or comments about Wellbutrin Rage Episodes, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Wellbutrin Rage Episodes
Does Wellbutrin cause rage?
Yes, Wellbutrin can cause rage, and it can also cause agitation, irritability, or other abnormal behaviors. In some people wellbutrin has also been known to cause suicidal thoughts and tendencies, or to become more depressed.
How long does agitation last on Wellbutrin?
Agitation on wellbutrin may last for the first 1-2 weeks of starting the medication, but if it persist beyond that point or is too severe before that point as well, you should reach out to your doctor and talk to them about getting your medication changed.
Does Wellbutrin agitation go away?
Yes, for most people it seems Wellbutrin agitation does go away, and most other side effects associated with wellbutrin also tend to go away after the first few weeks of treatment.
Does Wellbutrin make you focus?
Yes, Wellbutrin can help you focus, as it is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), which means that it does what it is supposed to by keeping the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine available to the brain’s neurons for longer. By having these neurotransmitters available in the brain longer, people may experience an improved concentration, focus, and relief from other ADHD symptoms as well.
Citations
https://www.forhims.com/blog/bupropion-wellbutrin-side-effects
https://www.drugs.com/answers/rage-anger-normal-wellbutrin-3347151.html
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/018644s042lbl
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2738405/